Norn S, Stahl Skov P, Jensen C, Bøg-Hansen T C, Lihme A, Espersen F, Permin H
Agents Actions. 1984 Apr;14(3-4):481-3. doi: 10.1007/BF01973854.
The bacteria-induced release of histamine was studied in human basophil leukocytes and in isolated rat mast cells. Whole bacteria of Staph. aureus caused release in a 98% pure population of peritoneal mast cells from germ-free rats, indicating a non-immunological mechanism and a direct interaction between the bacteria and the target cells. Probably the bacterial cell wall interacts with the cell membrane, since a preparation of the bacterial cell wall caused a dose-dependent release of histamine from basophil leukocytes similar to that induced by whole bacteria, and repeated washing of whole bacteria did not change the release. Inhibition studies by lectin-binding sugars indicate that aminosugars on the bacterial surface of Staph. aureus interact with lectins on the basophil cell membrane leading to histamine release.
